Order out of Chaos

Introduction:

God has the power to bring order out of the chaos.

The world was null and void but God spoke order out of the chaos

God has the power to bring peace out of the confusion.

The disciples on the roaring waves of the sea until Jesus calms the waters and restores peace.

God has the power to bring sanity out of the madness.

The crazy man running naked through the tombs until Jesus came and he was found clothed and in his right mind.

So what causes chaos, confusion, and madness in the first place?

The answer is sin. Sin is wilfully breaking God's law and thereby offending His character. We've all done it. "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."

There are 3 basic things that cause chaos in a person’s life:

Your willful choice to sin. (Personal Responsibility)

The choice of others to sin against you. (The Result of others)

The Lies of the world to trap you in sin. (The Reasoning of the world)

When people walk through the doors of Reliant, sin has taken its toll. Their lives are in shambles, wrecked by the weight of their sin and the sin of others. They are dazed and confused, not able to make sense of the world around them.

Illustration story: Vaughn sitting at his coffee table.

As ambassadors for God's kingdom, we are to present the gospel message that will lead people out of chaos, confusion, and madness into a life of order, peace, and sanity.

Gospel review:

"The gospel is the power of God to reconcile all things back to himself and for His glory."

How does the gospel reconcile our world of chaos back to order?

Through the power of the gospel, God has removed the offenses of sin by the cross.

Colossians 2:14 ESV

14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

2. The power of the gospel allows you to apply this same principle of forgiveness to others.

Matthew 6:14–15 ESV

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

3. The power of the gospel enlightens us to walk in the truth of God’s Word.

2 Timothy 1:7 ESV

for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

Now, we have the freedom to walk in God's righteous ways as he reconciles our lives back to a state of sanity, peace, and order.

(Side Note: If God has set you free from the chaos, why would you continue to live in it?)

God has set us as a beacon of light in this community. People are looking for those that have been set free from the chaos.

This morning I want to take this principle of the gospel and apply it to our Sunday Morning gatherings. We meet on Sunday Mornings for the specific purpose of share the power of the gospel with our friends, family, and our community. How can we hope for people to find order, peace, and sanity for their lives in the midst of chaos?

Scripture: Defining the Passage

(Tell the story of the feeding of the five thousand)

Mark 6:36–38 ESV

36 Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” 37 But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” 38 And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.”

Organization provides the framework of peace.

Five thousand men plus women and children with them, not to mention carts and animals running around.

To turn the chaos into peace, Jesus had the disciples take inventory of what they had.

When people come to church, they come from a world of chaos. They feel a sense of security and warmth because there is no chaos in this place, or there should be no chaos in this place.

Organization comes through preparation.

If we all waited until Sunday to pull off this service, it would be so chaotic that people wouldn't come back.

We schedule people beforehand to take care of people when they come.

The teachers prepare a lesson for the kids.

First impressions have people ready to make others feel welcomed and loved.

The musicians have prepared songs of praise.

The preacher has prepared a message that is relevant to the needs of the people.

Production has prepared the audio and visual aids that people will need to understand and apply the message.

Illustration: A church unprepared.

Organization provides the structure for a blessing.

Mark 6:39–42 ESV

39 Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. 41 And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. 42 And they all ate and were satisfied.

The disciples were completely confused in the matter of caring for all these people. They had no means to pull this off.

Jesus took what they had and made a way where there was no way.

They organized the people in manageable groups.

Through the groups, the disciples could minister effectively to the people, and the people could all receive the blessing.

When the church is organized, it provides structure for the people to receive the blessing.

The power of the gospel is evident through the Church.

People are drawn to the order, peace, and sanity of the gospel.

Tweetable Quote:

“The power of the gospel is only revealed through the organization and preparation of believers.”

Next Steps: Defining the Process

Contribute to the order and not the chaos.

Show up when you are on the schedule.

Be prepared for your part of the mission.

Do your part with excellence knowing that lives hang in the balance.

Be an example of the gospel through the organization of your life.